


A galaxy of memories

by SecretTimeIsHere



Series: The hidden star [3]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Doodle Sphere, Dreamtale, M/M, XTale, antivoid, outertale, underswap - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-14
Updated: 2019-07-14
Packaged: 2020-06-28 09:45:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,730
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19809733
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SecretTimeIsHere/pseuds/SecretTimeIsHere
Summary: “So what are you going to do now?” Nightmare asked, waiting as patiently as everyone else.“I’m planning on being a Neutral. I’m only destroying the extra copies, I’m not helping your side- but I’m not helping Blue, Dream, or Ink either.” Error answered, sitting calmly. He had come back to the mansion after such a long period of absence to explain himself and tell his friends of what he remembered and what he was going to do.All of them were sitting in the living room, each in their own respective spots as they talked over everything. Some moments had been filled with arguments while others were bad comedy quiet, but they were working on it.“So you finally realized it yourself?” Cross asked humorously, laughing aloud. Error felt only compelled to ask exactly what he had apparently realized, “That you’re too nice for your own good?” Cross answered, smiling teasingly.





	A galaxy of memories

It all felt so real, but when he awoke, he couldn’t deny it was a dream- that or he finally remembered. Everything was so detailed, every pain he felt, every spark of joy, the wholesome feeling of being loved and cared for; only to have it break down into heartbreak and pain at every supposedly heart-filled action. 

Each time you’re kissed but you knew that same mouth had kissed someone else before and would kiss someone else after you. Each time you’re hugged and told the joyous words of “I love you” only to reply to them in your head “No you don’t.” But you can’t help but have your heart swoon and go for another round on the roller coaster of love with the cheating bastard.

You miss when they go out with friends and feel jealous of every person they give just a speck of too much attention to, love when they focus all their love and admiration on you, enjoy every moment you two are alone. It felt so real! But they’re only painful memories.

He finally understood why Ink flinched whenever he casually tossed a nickname- he had repurposed every single one into something heartfelt and teasing. He had done the little things for him, some days his partner would could home late, and be welcomed to a warm house and bed with a movie and snacks waiting for him. His lover also waiting and willing to let him cuddle into him and fall asleep on top of him.

The days where his partner had little off things about him, and he would know just what to do in that exact moment to make him feel better. The nights were dreams haunted instead of relaxed, and he would stay up with his lover with warm milk and talk about what caused the dream. The outings where he could make the other happy with the smallest gesture, grabbing a hand, a short but tight hug, a reminder of care.

He knew why he was a betrayer, he knew what he gave up to be accepted. He knew what had happened, and why the bad guys now acted so weird around them, it was hard breaking things off- but they somehow did it peacefully. They never even spoke again after that day.

He knew why Ink wasn’t allowed back in OuterTale, why the multiverse hated him. He remembers the day clearly now, how he yelled it out so loud that planets light-years away probably heard. He remembered that he did make that scarf for Outer, and how he yelled out his hatred before going into a coma-like reboot.

He still didn’t fully understand why Ink did what he did, even when he knew the reasoning behind it, but, the underlying hatred still burned bright. Stars are bright orbs of fire, after all, it just turns out he used to run on joy instead of anger.

He now remembered why exactly Outer didn’t expect him to be in his usual spot. It hurt just thinking about going back there alone- and remembering what Ink told him about proposing there, it hurt even more knowing what he had lost, but it was for the better.

He remembered all the times with Papyrus and Blue now, and even the birthday party, dear Asgore, how could he not even remember what a birthday was? He now knew why Dream really was so anxious, he didn’t really want to cheat or anything, but it still happened. He got pulled into the roller coaster of love for the first time in his 500 years of life, and it was extremely addicting, even if the voice in the back of his head was always arguing against it.

Everything made sense- and honestly, he wanted to just get out of AntiVoid already. He needed a shower- and was really hungry. How had he been living like this again for the past months? He left so gross.

He wanted to talk with Ink- but he needed to take care of himself first.

  
  


\-----

  
  


“Ink? Are you in there?” Error asked, knocking on the door of the house in the doodle sphere, it brought back a lot of memories, but he could hold them back for now.

It felt like he waited for some time before door slowly opened and showed a tired and baggy-eyed Ink, Error would have scolded him for not taking care of himself and dragged him back upstairs to the shower if it weren’t for the situation, or he may just still do that- his mind was at a crossroads right now. Ink’s tired and dull gray eyes looked at Error for a second before registering who he was and upon realization, he hastily straightened his slouching posture and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes.

“S-sorry, ru- ...Error. I wasn’t expecting you- or any company for that matter.” Ink finally spoke, his voice grouchy and ruff, like the vocals, were just waking up or hadn’t had any water in a while. Almost like a frog in his throat.

“Did you forget to take care of yourself again?” Error sighed, old habits taking over. “I swear Ink- but then again, I shouldn’t have come on such short notice... Can we talk?” Error asked patiently, remembering and knowing that Ink’s tired mind can take minutes to answer even the simplest of questions.

Ink was taken back by the behavior he knew so well, stood silently before nodding and backing away to give the destroyer room to walk into the abode. Not a thing was out of place from what Error last remembered, nothing rearranged like Ink often did, everything looked like it had been paused in time. Even the few photos that were crooked the day he left weren’t fixed, they were all at the own odd angles, looking straight from one perspective- but extremely off from another.

Quietly, Error sat down at an armchair, and Ink sat in another, neither wanting to be on the couch next to them. Too many memories, bad memories that made the good feel like a fairy tale that never happened or shouldn’t have happened.

“How much have you let yourself go since my reboot?” Error asked hesitantly, hinting at Ink that he know remembered everything.

“...A lot. The only thing I manage to do is keep the house the same and protect the Aus to the best of my ability.” Ink answered, taking a bit to do so since he had to search his scrambled, scattered, and currently tired mind for the correct answers. Error sighed, expecting that answer but not wanting to hear it.

“You really can’t take care of yourself without my help, can you?” Ink looked away, “Am I the first to check on you since everything?” Ink silently nodded, “Alright, seems like I’m just going to have to make sure you do then.”

“Wait... what?” Ink asked, confused, his tired but scattered mind unable to grasp exactly what Error meant.

“I’ll come by several times a day to make sure you’re taking care of yourself. You need a life just like I do, even I’m trying to break my habits. I remember and know that everything isn’t exactly… good between us- but I’m not letting you die off because you can’t figure how to care of yourself. You retaught me, now it’s my turn to reteach you.” Error explained, dragging Ink off to a bathroom to help him get cleaned up.

Ink’s eyes dramatically widened and awoke to hear that Error now remembered, but then shrunk again. Knowing well that nothing was good between them and definitely wouldn’t be for a while.

Turning on the bath and grabbing a towel as well as clothes for Ink, Error left him alone so he could go make some food for them. Thankfully he remembered learning how to cook while he was with Ink. Simple pancakes would do.

Time seemed to speed by as he made enough pancakes for two, only making about 8 or so in total, considering that both of them haven’t eaten anything in a while.

“Why...?” Ink’s voice carried over to him from the doorway, properly dressed and looking cleaner and much better than earlier.

“Because you taught me to care and take care, even when you don’t like or care about them. As long as they’re alive, they can help another life.”

  
  


\-----

  
  


“So you remember-” Blue repeated,

“Yes,” Error clarified,

“And you know what he did-” Outer recounted,

“Yes,” Error said again,

“And you’re still helping him despite-”

“For the final time yes!” Error cut off, slightly pissed, for a while- these guys knew him better than he knew himself. Why couldn’t they understand this simple thing? “I’m not going to stop caring like he did, I’m sticking around long enough so he can get used to taking care of himself and then I’m going to find a proper place to live-” he explained, crossing his arms defensively.

“The AntiVoid just doesn’t work anymore?” Outer guessed, knowing well that they had tried arguing this point to him for years before the destroyer started dating Ink and finally accepted a normal life. Error nodded, “If it helps, I know of some open houses in OuterTale. Not in the city of course- but more in the outer parts of Stardin.” Outer offered, also knowing well that Error was not a city person.

Error, considering that his home for the longest time had been a place of absolute silence and quiet, would most likely never be able to get used to the loud noises of the city. That and also remembering the Outertale is a hot spot for the multiverse and many go there, he was sure to run into some enemies there. Especially considering he’s gone back to destroying now.

Outer was still unsure to how he was able to tolerate Error’s destroying again- but at the same time, he does. Error, after they became best friends, had explained to Blue and him why he destroyed. The truth was it was his way fo getting back at the multiverse for hating him and outcasting him, apparently, he visited Aus before he became a destroyer, and they all outcasted him. Calling him things life reject and mistake.

Outer could remember the dry humor in his best friend voice, saying that “They weren’t wrong. I’m an Error and a mistake that was never supposed to happen.” it hurt to hear those words, and it probably hurt the then ex destroyer to say that. Although, there was a positive to all his destroying.

He spoke of another reason to why he destroyed, Ink helped creators make copy after copy of the same idea- just slightly altered. Copies were never noticed and just cluttered up the multiverse, if they were to get out of hand, it would make it a struggle just to travel to the universe next to yours. His job wasn’t to destroy, it was to clean the old and make room for the new. Without him, Ink wouldn’t be able to help the Aus at all, and wouldn’t even be able to find their paper in the mess and chaos of his doodle sphere.

As far as he knew, however, he blue and the Bad guys were the only ones to hear of the truth behind Error’s destroying; Error believing that no one else would listen to him. That and he didn’t want to discuss his past when he was hated and disliked by almost all. Only being trusted and tolerated by Nightmare’s group, and even then, he was mostly alone.

“That’d be a big help, thank you, Outer.” Error spoke, his soft tone reinstating and a dusting of a blue blush on his dark cheeks bones. It was nice to hear the destroyer so soft-spoken again, the soft voice close to never glitching, and almost like a lullaby. Calming even the most ferocious of monsters.

“Um, I know I shouldn’t really be asking this- but… How is Ink?” Blue asked hesitantly, still caring about the protector despite everything, understanding Error’s reasoning behind his actions.

“Well, from what I can tell, he's having trouble doing anything. His motivation day to day was being loved by the multiverse and being able to help it- but now, since Dream’s taken over most of those duties and he isn’t loved by the multiverse anymore, he doesn’t have any drive. Ink just doesn’t know what to do with his days and mostly had fallen into a depressive state in all honesty.” Error explained, knowing the artist well and being able to explain the actions of him.

Truth be told, there was always an underlying depression inside the protector, being soulless it’s hard for him to love himself, being able to help others was what kept him going. Error had caught onto this quickly while he had been with Ink, and even gotten the confident skeleton to admit to it, so slowly, they had helped him get better.

The small gestures were to help Ink, someone wouldn’t take the protection and effort he gave for granted, someone who would care more than anyone else- what error didn’t expect is to be taken granted for instead. Although, Ink got what was waiting for him. Without the positive aura of Dream, he couldn’t push back all the sadness he secretly held, and without Error, he couldn’t cope.

The loved skeleton broke down, the guilt and depression finally starting to eat away at him. Error’s back to help, but he won’t be for long. All the destroyer has to do is give the guardian a sense of purpose again and make sure he remembers to take care of himself. How did Error know all of this? He had gone through the same thing himself, he was just alone instead. Rely on no one and no one will on you, let others rely on you and you can rely on them. Help others and you learn to help yourself.

“It’s going to take some time, but soon- hopefully- he can be himself again.” Error concluded, knowing it would take some time- and that it takes even longer alone- but it would be successful eventually.

“Are you going to cut all ties afterward?” Outer asked, hoping wit all his might for a yes. Ink was toxic for Error, at least from his perspective, and wouldn’t help the other move on and live his life.

“Not entirely, but for the most part, yes. I’m the only person he has now, the least I can do is be there when he needs me-”

“But what do you need?” Blue cut off, knowing that the errored tended to think of other’s well being instead of his own, “It’s not selfish if you want to cut off ties with Ink, after all, I can always check on him for you.”

“...That’d be greatly appreciated.” Error sighed, smiling brightly, showing off a smile that could light up the multiverse in a minute.

  
  


\-----

  
  


“So what are you going to do now?” Nightmare asked, waiting as patiently as everyone else.

“I’m planning on being a Neutral. I’m only destroying the extra copies, I’m not helping your side- but I’m not helping Blue, Dream, or Ink either.” Error answered, sitting calmly. He had come back to the mansion after such a long period of absence to explain himself and tell his friends of what he remembered and what he was going to do.

All of them were sitting in the living room, each in their own respective spots as they talked over everything. Some moments had been filled with arguments while others were bad comedy quiet, but they were working on it.

“So you finally realized it yourself?” Cross asked humorously, laughing aloud. Error felt only compelled to ask exactly what he had apparently realized, “That you’re too nice for your own good?” Cross answered, smiling teasingly.

Error gave a confused look, to which the whole room erupted in story after story of him being nice one way or another. From helping them in a tough spot to individual attention and gifts.

“Error,” Nightmare finally spoke up, gaining the glitch’s attention, “You’ve been a star all along, you didn’t become one- you are one. We’ve known it for years and now the rest of the multiverse knows. That’s why we’re all one your side.”


End file.
